Petition to have Bheki Cele removed from the cabinet -gains momentum

Will the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele be removed from the cabinet?

PETITION HAVE MORE THAN 70 000 SIGNATURES

That is the question on everyone’s minds as the petition to have him removed gained momentum with more than 70 000 people that have signed already.

South Africans have clearly had enough of Cele, especially after the recent comments he made about South Africans with tattoos.

He said people with tattoos are‘ likely to be gangsters’.

Critics have accused Cele that he is ‘out of touch with South African society.

CELE HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING OUT OF TOUCH WITH SA SOCIETY

This follows a video that went viral online of Cele’s outburst against Action Society’s Ian Cameron.

Cele was responding to concerns raised at the stakeholder and Cameron in particular when the outburst occurred.

ALSO READ: WATCH | Is he for real? Bheki Cele says people with tattoos ‘likely to be gangsters’

Cameron blamed the police for not deploying enough resources to the area to fight crime.

CELE SCREAMED SHUT UP!

He said:

“You are failing your own Constitution, and not fulfilling your mandate, by not protecting this community. I don’t see you patrolling the area at night with the people here.

“None of these ladies here have bodyguards to walk home with them at night; they have to do it on their own because they are brave. It’s unacceptable, sir. You talk down to the neighbourhood watches and don’t understand the policy framework. You are failing in your duties.”

Ian Cameron

Things became heated when Cele told Cameron to “shut up”.

“I am a son of the soil. I chose to not speak about politics today. Whatever happens to me, I will be buried in this country,” Cele said.

“I did not join human rights battles yesterday. I will not be called a garden boy. Don’t provoke me. I’ve lived this life. Shut up!”

Bheki Cele

Police officers then quickly moved in to forcibly removed Cameron from the venue.

ALSO READ: Watch | ‘Shut up! Shut up!’ – Bheki Cele loses the plot in heated exchange

TEN REASONS GIVEN FOR CELE’S REMOVAL:

10 Reasons why Cele must go:

• PCEM system and 8 million forensic evidence
  Earlier this year, due to non-payment by the SAPS, the Property Control and Exhibit Management System (PCEM) was switched off by Forensic Data Analysis (FDA) – the system supplier. This affected 8 million pieces of evidence, which could not be found after the PCEM system shutdown.
• FirearmsControl Amendment Bill – disarming citizens
  Government wants to take away the rights of citizens to self-defence with the Firearms Control Amendment Bill, with the aim of ‘reducing the number of illegal firearms in circulation’. We read daily about brutal murders, rape and other heinous crimes. Action Society is extremely concerned about the impact this Bill will have on the rights of South African citizens – especially vulnerable and defenceless women. We are particularly concerned about the effect this will have on the continued violence against the innocent women and children of South Africa.
• Cele fired as Police Commissioner
  In June 2012, Minister Cele was fired as National Police Commissioner following allegations of corruption. We are quite perplexed as to how someone that was once fired as Police Commissioner is now the Police Minister. The current National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khehla Sithole has also been served with a notice of suspension. The suspension notice came in light of the High Court decision in January which found that Sitole and two of his lieutenants, had “breached their duties” by intentionally frustrating the Independent Police Investigating Directorate investigations into corrupt procurement deals within the Crime Intelligence environment.
• SA high on Global Organised Crime Index 2021
  The Global Organised Crime Index 2021, which was recently released by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, ranked South Africa 19th out of 193 UN member states. With a criminality score of 6.63, South Africa ranked fifth out of the 54 African countries. Only the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Kenya scored higher.
• DNA backlog
  Due to Cele’s mismanagement of the SAPS, the DNA backlog stands at more than 300 000 cases. While the DNA backlog continues, victims of violent crime and GBVF are not getting their day in court or the justice they deserve. At the Portfolio Committee on Police meeting on 24 August 2021, the SAPS confirmed that the DNA backlog will only be eradicated by 21 November 2022. This would mean that rape victims and families of murder victims could wait up to three years to get their day in court.
• High gender-based violence crime stats
  A shocking 10 000 rape cases were reported between April and June 2021 with the successful conviction rate staying at a miniscule 3%. These numbers are evident that South Africa’s rape statistics are equal to a country at war. So much has gone wrong within the SAPS in recent years and the institution has experienced major decay under the leadership of Cele.
• More than 10 000 police officers charged with serious offences
  More than 10 000 police officers, who are supposed to protect the public and uphold the constitution and the law, have been charged with murder, rape and assault since 2012. Action Society was shocked to learn that of the 10 086 officers charged, only 50 faced suspension since 2012/13.
• Loss of firearms and ammunition
  The SAPS has lost more than 26 025 SAPS firearms in 12 years. Between 2005 and 2017 (12 years) SAPS has lost, had stolen from them or is simply unable to account for 26 025 SAPS guns issued to police officers. This was reported as 18 196 guns between 2005 and 2011 and 7 829 between 2009 and 2014. Minister Cele’s figures to parliament in 2019 included almost 10 000 000 rounds of ammunition, of which more than 3.2 million rounds were missing in the Eastern Cape alone.
• Not passing Convicted Offenders Bill and release of 100k criminals
  Action Society is disappointed at Bheki Cele’s constant failure to bring the Convicted Offenders Bill (CO Bill) to parliament. The Forensic Procedures Amendment Act 37 of 2013 and the CO Bill, forces convicted Schedule 8 offenders to submit a buccal DNA sample for the population of the National Forensic DNA Database of South Africa. (NFDD). Since the creation of the NFDD in 2015 however, the Amendment Act and the CO Bill which was introduced in 2017, has still not been finalised and is still awaiting the president’s signature. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, confirmed recently that 96 785 Schedule 8 (violent crime) offenders have been released on parole since 2016 without submitting a DNA sample.
• The Bill was endorsed by the Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster on 7 October for introduction to Cabinet.
• No new recruits
  The SAPS has a shortage of 14 000 new recruits. Cele has stated that there have not been any new recruits in the last two years because of Covid-19.
• It is clear that the SAPS is a failed organisation and that Cele must go. He has failed to serve the public and to help protect the most vulnerable. Show your support by adding your name to the call.